Unit 2
School academic performance
Activity 1: Learn new vocabulary - match the words on the left side with their meanings on the right side
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Activity 2: Choose the right words from the blue box and write them in the blanks
Activity 3: Match the pairs - which adjective belongs to each noun?
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Activity 4: Learn how to compare using adjectives
1. What are "Comparative" and "Superlative" Adjectives?
We use adjectives to describe things.
We use comparative adjectives to compare two things.
We use superlative adjectives to say which is the best or the most in a group.
2. The 3 Forms of Adjectives:
| Use | Example with "small" |
|---|---|
| Basic | small (The cat is small.) |
| Comparative | smaller (The mouse is smaller than the cat.) |
| Superlative | smallest (The ant is the smallest.) |
3. Rules to Remember:
🟢 Short adjectives (1 syllable → big, tall, fast):
- Add -er for comparison:
tall → taller - Add -est for the best:
tall → tallest
Example:
- My desk is bigger than yours.
- This is the biggest table in the class.
🟠 Adjectives ending in -y (like happy):
- Change -y to -i, then add -er / -est
happy → happier → happiest
Example:
- I feel happier today.
- She is the happiest student.
🔵 Long adjectives (2+ syllables → careful, intelligent):
- Use more or most:
more careful, most careful
more intelligent, most intelligent
Example:
- Amina is more careful than Peter.
- She is the most intelligent girl in the class.
4. Quick Summary:
- If the adjective is short, use -er / -est.
- If the adjective is long, use more / most.
- Always use "than" after comparatives:
👉 He is taller than me.
5. Irregular Adjectives
Be careful: Some irregular adjectives change completely!
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| good | better | best |
| bad | worse | worst |
| far | farther | farthest |
Activity 5: Practise comparing adjectives - fill in the blanks
Activity 6: Choose the right adjectives from the blue box and write them in the blanks
Activity 7: Learn about questions: how to ask questions
1. What's special about English questions?
In Swahili, you often ask like this:
➡️ Ulimaliza kazi lini? → “You finished the work when?”
But in English, the question word goes at the beginning!
2. The basic rule:
✅ Question word + helping/auxiliary verb + subject + main verb
Examples:
| Correct English question | |
|---|---|
| You did what? | What did you do? |
| You went where? | Where did you go? |
| You are reading what? | What are you reading? |
| You will come when? | When will you come? |
3. Common question words:
| Word | Meaning | Swahili |
|---|---|---|
| What | for things | nini |
| Where | for places | wapi |
| When | for time | lini |
| Why | for reasons | kwa nini |
| Who | for people | nani |
| How | for method, way, or feeling | je,/-je |
4. Quick Summary:
- In English, the question word comes first!
👉 What are you doing? – ✅
👉 You are doing what? – ❌
5. Questions with "do / does / did"
- Do you like school?
- Does she have homework?
- Did they finish the test?
Use do/does/did when there is no other helping or auxiliary verb.
Activity 8: Put the words in the correct order to make questions. All the words in the blue boxes are in lowercase, so don’t forget to change the first letter of the first word to a capital letter.
Activity 9: Write the correct questions to the answers
Activity 10: Read the poem and answer the questions
Some pupils race to get the best grade, They chase the marks so they feel great. But numbers don’t tell the whole true tale — It’s honesty and effort that never fail.
A pupil who cheats may pass the test, But deep inside, they miss the rest. For school is not just scores and fame, It’s learning to play life’s honest game.
Real success grows with every try, With helping hands and questions: why? Academic stars shine bold and bright, When they choose to do what’s fair and right.
Activity 10a: Choose the correct answer
What is the main message of the poem?
Grades matter, but learning for life matters too.
Cheating is sometimes necessary to succeed.
School is only about exams.
What is said about cheating in the poem?
It doesn’t help you learn for life.
It helps you pass every time.
It is part of learning.
What does the phrase "But deep inside, they miss the rest" mean?
They failed because they didn’t read the questions.
They passed the exam but didn’t learn lessons for life.
They did not finish all their homework.
What does the poem say matters most in learning?
Learning for life and being honest.
Competing with classmates.
Writing fast and finishing first.